What if I told you that some of the furniture in your house and the beauty products you use on your body were potentially causing you to have an increased appetite? While the science may not totally be there to support this claim…yet…I believe that there could be a correlation and that it’s at least worth considering. Stick with me on this one and read through this post to see if it’s something you think might one day prove to be valid, and for ways you can help reduce your exposure to this toxic chemical.
If you’ve worked with me or read some of my social media posts, you’ll know that one area of health and wellness I consider to be critically important is that of reducing and mitigating toxin exposures. Our bodies are constantly bombarded with toxins and harmful chemicals in almost every facet of life, ranging from beauty products to air pollution to contaminated food and water, which is often intentional – think, pesticides, preservatives, artificial flavourings, etc. Another often overlooked area of exposure comes from within the home, where “the air inside your home can be up to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air”1. Air quality in our houses is often quite poor since it’s laden with chemicals from a multitude of sources including but not limited to incomplete combustion from gas range ovens, glue for flooring and carpets, mold in the walls or areas of previous leaks, cleaning products, smoke, pet dander, perfumes and scented products, and furniture. One chemical that is unfortunately becoming more common both in the home and subsequently being accumulated in our body is formaldehyde.
So, what exactly is formaldehyde? It is a man-made chemical derived from methanol that forms a colourless and very strong-smelling gas at room temperature that is a known human carcinogen2. Industrially, it is typically added to resins for furniture adhesives that get used in items such as couch and bed frames, kitchen cabinetry, etc., and is also a component in paints and lacquers which have numerous applications in construction materials and new homes. It is also quite commonly used to provide ‘wrinkle-free’ fabrics for upholstery. Since formaldehyde is a gas at room temperature, once applied to various products it will continually release its volatile organic compounds into the air. According to a study completed in Hong Kong, it was found that approximately half of the gas was released within one year in new builds or remodeled homes, suggesting it takes approximately two years for formaldehyde to off-gas enough to bring levels down to that found in an older home3. It is worth noting here though that higher temperatures and humidity levels increase how quickly the formaldehyde will off-gas, meaning that likely most new and remodeled Canadian homes will have increased levels of this chemical for at least two years, likely longer.
One of the problems with formaldehyde is that is it highly flammable, meaning that it is likely that manufacturers that use formaldehyde-based woods, glues, and resins, or that have it applied to furniture fabrics, also need to apply flame retardants to their products. Even though flame retardants are known to be carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting, many manufacturers still apply these incredibly harmful chemicals to countless home, vehicle, and children’s products, thereby only increasing our toxic burden even more. So not only are you getting exposed to the off-gassing of formaldehyde itself, but you are breathing in and absorbing through the skin toxic by-products as well.
Another very concerning area where women especially we are exposed to formaldehyde in our daily lives is through cosmetic goods. Unfortunately, this chemical is frequently used as a preservative in countless bath and beauty products ranging from eye shadow to nail polishes, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, bubble bath, and even baby wipes. Even more concerning is that manufacturers are not required to disclose chemical contaminants contained in their product4, meaning many of the items in your bathroom may contain formaldehyde even if it’s not listed on the label. Since our skin is our body’s largest organ, it absorbs a significant amount of what it is exposed to and so any product you are using on your body must be flushed out via your kidneys and liver. Once they become overburdened with excess toxins, countless health concerns may begin to manifest. Particularly concerning is how many baby products contain formaldehyde. In fact, a recent study commissioned by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found a whopping 61% of the top children’s bath products contained this cancer-causing chemical4.
Now, let’s circle back to my initial claim that this nasty gas might cause changes in your appetite. Part of the requirement as a medical student is to learn human biology through the dissection of cadavers. And the way these bodies are preserved is with – you guessed it – formaldehyde. Now here comes the outrageous part of my bold statement: many med students and now-Doctors claim that after spending a couple hours inhaling the gas that came off the cadavers, they were insanely hungry5. “According to a research article published by Georgetown Medical Review, medical students have experienced incessant food cravings in the immediate aftermath of dissecting a dead body. Despite congregating in a room packed with glaring surgical instruments and rotting flesh, trainees would regularly chat about their favorite recipes as they fought the urge to eat whatever food they could find. The creepy hunger is believed to be caused by formaldehyde.”6 It could be that they had just burned a bunch of calories by being so deep in concentration, but the fact remains that it seems to be very specific to post-dissection class. This is still just considered anecdotal and has not been verified in any legitimate scientific studies - not to say that it’s not indeed true, just that it just hasn’t been studied yet in any great detail.
So, given that formaldehyde potentially causes hunger, is there a chance that the quantity that gets off-gassed in our homes and absorbed through our skin may be artificially increasing our appetites and long- term impacting our overall weight? Maybe not – and it’s likely a bit of a stretch to make such a claim. But regardless of whether it has that much of an influence on how much we eat, the science is clear that formaldehyde is not good for our overall health and we should be doing our best to try and mitigate and eliminate its presence in our houses. The fact is that it is a toxin our bodies need to work hard to flush out, and given the plethora of exposures to harmful chemicals all around us we can easily become overburdened, thereby negatively impacting our liver, hormones, heart, metabolism, and countless other aspect of healthy bodily functions. Common acute and chronic overburden symptoms include itchy eyes, headaches, nose irritations, skin rashes, and respiratory distress. If you suspect you may have toxic levels of formaldehyde in your home, consider hiring a professional that can test it for you. While they won’t be able to pinpoint the worst sources, they can likely provide mitigative measures and suggestions on what items could be worth replacing immediately. In the meantime, check your beauty products on the EWG website, and if you have any new furniture that has a strong smell place it outside to air it out if possible.
While we unfortunately cannot completely eliminate exposure, there are numerous ways to reduce the total amount you are in contact with:
Open windows in your home as frequently as the weather allows to ensure fresh air flow as much as possible.
Consider getting an air filter with a HEPA filter in the main living area as well as bedrooms to ensure properly ventilated air. I highly recommend the Air Doctor, and by using the code “AvoVita” you can get 10% off your next purchase with them.
If you’re in the early stages of building a new home or remodeling an existing one, try to work with contractors to source formaldehyde-free materials as much as possible. It likely isn’t at all reasonable to eliminate all sources, but any reduction achieved is beneficial.
If you’re in the market to purchase a new couch or mattress, reach out to the manufacturer to confirm the item does not contain any formaldehyde or flame retardants.
Try to avoid wrinkle free fabrics as much as possible, including clothing products.
For any new furniture purchases that contain wood, try to choose solid wood versus composite. If it’s a composite blend, check with the manufacturer they have used a formaldehyde-free adhesive7.
Try to use more natural, clean, and/or organic beauty items. Check EWG.org to see how your product ranks in terms of toxicity.
Unfortunately, formaldehyde is only one of countless examples of chemicals we are (mostly) unknowingly exposed to in our lives that can have a significantly negative impact on our health. But I truly believe that knowledge is power, and the more you learn about ways to improve your well-being, the better off we’ll all be. If you’d like to learn other ways you can reduce your toxin exposures and improve your overall health and wellness, please reach out to book into one of my workshops or for one-on-one personalized coaching sessions.
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